Tu-Na Quilts: Planning Ahead for 2018

But first, I have to satisfy a few requirements: 1. Review how well I’ve accomplished last year’s goals. 2. Think about what I want to accomplish with my blog and quilting next year. 3. Write about those goals. 4. Link up to the party. 5. Work on my goals. The first four are easy; the last finds life sometimes getting in the way which was quite evident for 2017.

A Review of Tu-Na’s 2017 Quilting and Blogging Goals

My Blogging Goals for 2017

I wrote my accomplishments in blue.

Continue to write interesting posts. Hopefully, I can get one to two posts written per week. I’ve written 91 posts so far this year which averages more than one a week. Whether or not my readers find them interesting or not is the real question. I’ve had a lot of positive comments to my posts so my readers must be finding some of them interesting. I received so many comments in July, that I couldn’t keep up with replying to them all. I ran my first giveaway in July.

Continue to seek sources of new blogging material. Right now I have lots of ideas for posts and several half-started posts to finish. The story behind the plus quilt is top on my list to finish. The plus quilt story was finished and posted here. I continue to sew as I can, eat, and travel which means there’s always new blogging material being created. So much that I don’t get it all written. Some of those half-started posts are still waiting for their endings including the loot reveal posts. I participated in many blog hops this year including Quilt Quazy Queens, 12 Days of Christmas in July, Virtual Cookie Exchange, Art with Fabric, Jen and Jan’s Mini Blog Hop, and Sew Much Fun. (links to my posts about them)

Virtual Cookie Exchange

Art with Fabric

Sew Much Fun

Jen and Jan’s Mini blog hop

I also linked often to weekly linky parties on some of my favorite blogs.

Participate in the New Quilt Bloggers Hop again. This was held in April and May and I learned a few new tips. Part of the hop was blog improvement. I made some changes (new picture) and tried to make it load faster for readers. Tu-Na Helper designed and ordered blog (business) cards for me but they didn’t arrive until after we’d already left on the 2017 Quilt MN Shop Hop.

Hide and Seek: Can you find my blog card? I received this pic from the winner of my giveaway. You can see my blog card on the bottom left under the stocking. It has my website name, site address, my name, and my email address. Oh, yes, there’s another partially written post about it, too.

Continue to read my old favorite blogs and find some new ones. I have and I’ve found new ones which is probably why I don’t get as much accomplished as I should. But I’ve been sad that one of my favorite blog seems to be gone but that’s the subject of yet another post.

My Quilting Goals for 2017

Keep up with the online quilting bees that I’ve joined. I barely kept my head above water with this goal. I joined three bees: Stash Bee, Bee Inspired, and Blossom Heart, and became behind in them when I started having eye issues this spring. One has to see to sew. But I did what I could when I could and am only behind with one block right now. It was fun sewing all those different blocks. A lot of the patterns I would never have chosen to do for myself. One of the reasons I joined the bee groups was to quench my appetite for sewing the various blocks and then I wouldn’t be tempted to make them into quilts. After all, there’s thousands of blocks and layouts begging to be made and not enough time or resources to get them all done. What actually happened is that I whetted my appetite and now I’ve actually added to the list of quilts I want to make.

This is one of those blocks that I had a hard time mailing away. It went to Montana. You can find the link on this post.

For the Bee Inspired Group, I requested poodle blocks and wrote a bunch of posts on the Bee Inspired blog showing construction tips for this block and highlighting What I Learned on the trip to France that Tu-Na Helper and I took three years ago. Check out my last post here for a list of links to all the posts.

I made two of these. The rest were all made by my friends atBee Inspiredand Wendy atPieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life. I’ll make 5 more left-facing and sash it with some Eiffel tower with poodles fabric and call it good. You can find more info about these blocks and links to all the posts I wrote about Paris and Poodles on the Bee Inspired bloghere.

For Stash Bee, I requested a Cheerio block in November. Click here to read the post. My hive seems to have fallen apart since I’ve only received from five people but I’ve been assured from the Queen Bee herself that more will be coming.

I might rename this one the Lifesaver quilt since the Os are 16.5″ unfinished.

My hive at Blossom Heart totally fell apart. Beginning in June, we were asked to make two blocks for each participant to fill in for others that had dropped out. October was my month to request a block from my hive mates but I’ve only received Want Fanta blocks from three others.

Join in a Quilt-a-long. I’m not sure which one so I’m open to suggestions. I was one of the hosts for the I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long and made this one. The blocks had to be made ahead of time so I wasn’t really sewing along.

You can find more info about these blocks here. It’s not too late to sew one and enter to win an amazing prize package.

white/black and yellow using The Candy Store pattern [Not started yet], Tu-Na Helper’s much deserved quilt using the Quilt MN Shop Hop fabric [Not started yet], my grandson’s minecraft quilt [not done yet-I was hoping for a Christmas finish but won’t make it, and 1930s repro applecore [The fabric is still waiting to be cut but I added some more from my 2017 Quilt MN Shop Hop].

Start some new projects: hot air balloons [I bought the background fabric but haven’t started cutting yet], pillows for my AZ house[made one for my guest room],

This pillow is just a sample of what I made and didn’t get a post written for it. Maybe, I’ll finish the post, yet.

Try a new technique: English Paper Piecing. On the 2017 Quilt MN Shop Hop, I discovered a box of hexis on day four at one of the shops which revived my interest in them. Beth at Cooking Up Quilts gave me a personal lesson on hexis when I met her in October at the Quilt Blogger’s Retreat.

Keep working on my ongoing projects and events: continue working on my 1.5″ postage stamp (I’ve got thousands of pieces cut and some sewn into small blocks) and blog about progress on it (haven’t been good at this),quilt with my mom and sisters (didn’t happen this summer).

Start and complete training on the longarm quilting machine available in my Arizona housing development. I started my training on the group’s Pfaff Grandquilter and then the group decided it had outgrown it and sold it and bought a Gammill. Excellent decision!

This pic was taken last April after the machine was delivered. Under the direction of one of our longarm coordinators, I am trying out quilting by using the laser guide on pantograph in the back of the machine. I’d never used this method before so you can tell I am more than a little rigid.

I received training from the store’s rep on the Gammill and then had to head back to North Dakota. Since coming back to Arizona, I haven’t worked on it.

Find some new quilt shops to visit, possibly through another state shop hop. Tu-Na Helper and I visited 66 quilt shops (one shop was new to me) this summer on the Quilt MN Shop Hop. Other new shops I visited were Yoder’s Department Store (lots of fabric here, too) in Shipshewana, Indiana on the way out to the Quilt Blogger’s Retreat in October. While there, Julie took us to Miller’s Dry Goods in Millersburg, OH; Zincks in Berlin, OH, and several others which I’ve forgotten the names but if I got out my receipts I could tell you.

Now onto my new quilting and blogging goals. Some I’ve kept from last year but I’ve also added some new ones.

Tu-Na’s 2018 Quilting and Blogging Goals

My Blogging Goals for 2018

Continue to write interesting posts. Hopefully, averaging at least one per week.

Finish those loot posts, my visit to The Quilted Ceiling in Valley City, and other posts still waiting to be started and those that need to be finished.

Continue to seek sources of new blogging material. In other words, continue to wake up each morning, sew, quilt, eat, and travel.

Participate in Blog Hops and linky parties.

Participate in the New Quilt Bloggers Hop again. My blog celebrated it’s one year blogivarsary in April so I’ll be able to join again.

Continue to read my old favorite blogs, find some new ones, and find out what happened to one of my favorite blogs but that’s the subject of yet another unfinished post.

My Quilting Goals for 2018

Keep up with the online quilting bees that I’ve joined. I only joined two for 2018: Stash Bee and Bee Inspired.

Design another block or two. I’ve got a start on one.

Join in a Quilt-a-long. I plan to do a couple of projects for Soscrappy (the coneflower I designed last year and Melva’s dragonfly), and signed up to do the mystery quilt at my quilting group in AZ. I still want to do at least one other QAL online.

Finish some quilts: Let’s talk about the elephant in the closet! The elephant quilt for that baby girl who is growing up needs to move to the front of the list.

It’s so close to being a finished top.

The list continues: White/black and yellow using The Candy Store pattern, Tu-Na Helper’s much deserved quilt using the Quilt MN Shop Hop fabric, my grandson’s minecraft quilt, I Wish You a Merry QAL (blocks are done), 1930s repro apple core, hot air balloons, and the poodle quilt. Wanta Fanta, and Cheerio (or maybe I’ll call it lifesaver since they are 16.5″) will be carried over for my 2018 Bee groups to make for me.

Start some new projects: More pillows for my AZ house, placemats, and a special quilt for a friend. However, 2018 will be the year to finish not start new projects. We’ll see how well that works for me.

Try a new technique: English Paper Piecing. I’ve got the fabric for this project and have decided on the pattern and the size of hexis that I’ll be doing. Since I’m using red and black fabrics with a lot of white, will I have to prewash? This questions is stalling my work.

Keep working on my ongoing projects and events: continue working on my 1.5″ postage stamp and blog about progress on it, quilt with my mom and sisters, attend my Arizona quilting group functions and classes. I am chairman for the membership committee and we are on a mission to increase our membership and have started lots of ways to do so (that could be the subject of yet another post).

Continue training on the longarm quilting machine available in my Arizona housing development.

Find some new quilt shops to visit, possibly through another state shop hop.

Quilt for charity. My AZ quilting group does a lot of this. I just need to become more involved with it.

What I Learned Today:

This was a great exercise in reflecting on my year as a quilter and a blogger.

I have lofty goals.

I didn’t get much done last year.

I need to concentrate on finishing what I’ve started.

I need an accountability partner!

One has to see well to sew well and also read and write/type. The eye doctor says to be patient, it will come. While I’ve seen a huge improvement, I’ve got a ways to go.

I am not good at being patient.

I succeeded in reaching this year’s real blogging and quilting goals which were listed in What I Learned Today here: to enjoy it, learn something new in the process, and make some beautiful quilts for others. I think I’ll keep those three for next year too.

Question: Do you prewash your fabric or not? Should I prewash if I am using reds and blacks with a lot of white? I usually do not prewash unless I am using Flannel for the backing. But using lots of reds and some black with lots of white scares me.

23 thoughts on “Tu-Na Quilts: Planning Ahead for 2018”

I think you’ve accomplished an incredible amount this year! thank you for a terrific blog. I really look forward to reading it, especially as you aren’t selling anything. Following you on the Shop Hop was a blast – so much fun to see places that I could never see in person. Keep up the great work!

you have been busy! you have a lot of goals- I never participate in things like that as I set goals and change my mind and go in a totally different direction at times – about pre-washing – I always pre-wash reds and purples. Sometime blacks – mainly if a fabric is a batik it will get soaked and see what happens. Always use color catchers in the wash with a quilt if you didn’t prewash it will help – but some white fabrics seem to act as a color catcher and the excess dye will head right to it – so if it was me the red and blacks would be soaked in hot water with color catchers and some retayne it almost always works 100% to get that excess dye out.

Karen, I enjoyed reading this post. I appreciate how well you’ve thought through this year and have made goals for next. I have a difficult time pulling those thoughts into order. I do have some goals for next year though, just not as many as you because I haven’t spent enough time thinking about it. Thanks for reminding me about Yvonne’s Planning Party and for encouraging me to gather my thoughts!

Do you have some scraps of your red, white and black fabric? Soak them in water and see if the water gets colored then you will know if it will run, I would not prewash if it runs, but your quilt will not be washable. I prefer prewashing and then you know it won’t shrink anymore.

I think you have accomplished quite a lot, especially considering your eye issues. I am very impressed with your thoroughness and thoughtful introspection. It was so much fun to “ride along” with you and Tuna Helper on the MN State Shop Hop, since I won’t ever be able to make it to all of them myself.
Good luck with your goals for 2018. And stay warm back in ND over Christmas.

Hey Karen! You have done quite a lot! Your posts are always fun and informative! I commend you for your goals and I bet you accomplish them all!! The main goal is to enjoy yourself!!! Thank you for letting us have a peek into your travels, sewing, and eating!!! xox

Good Morning Karen!
I always find your posts interesting to read! I love your sense of humor and I have learned a lot from you as well. You are the Queen of ric rac in my mind, and you serve it up well in fun and creative ways. I hope to join in the new quilt blogger’s hop this year. I started my blog in late February and just missed the sign up. Merry Christmas to you and Tu-Na Helper. ~smile~ Roseanne

You seem to have done quite well for 2017. I am a new follower and am really enjoying your cactus Christmas pics.
A friend on the other side of the country and I share goals and encourage one another. We send quarterly “atta girl” packages to each other. For 2017, they were actually ‘you did well under the circumstances” packages as we both had health issues. The encouragement of another person is priceless. So, I am impressed with what you did in 2017, and I will be watching and sending positive vibes for 2018.

I do hope you have given yourself a big pat on the back! You have accomplished many things this past year and should be very proud of that. It’s been fun reading along and sharing in your adventures. I look forward to reading and following along in 2018 🙂 Hopefully, we will run into each other again. I consider meeting you and TuNa Helper one of my 2017 highlights.

Karen you had quite a bit accomplished in 2017. I enjoy seeing what you have planned for 2018. I keep thinking about 2018 and have a few thoughts. Need to jot them down a reminders for myself. Sorry your hive fell apart. It is sad that you received so few blocks in return. Do you need a few more blocks, let me know and I can put a few together!

I’d say you got a lot done in 2017, and you’re going to get a lot more done in 2018! An accountability partner is a great idea. I don’t pre-wash anything. When I wash a quilt, which isn’t often, I do use color sheets or Retayne.

I’ve been seeing these posts popping up and I need to do mine; it IS a great exercise, both the reflection on the year past and goals for the year ahead. I am impressed with all that you did do! Man 66 quilt shops on the hop not counting all the others! I still haven’t attempted a pantograph on my Handiquilter; think that’s going to be one of my goals. You have done a lot, and remember you’ve lost time with your eye issues. Glad they are on the up and up. Your posts are always interesting and I love your Christmas quilt all the blocks there together! Question: will you get it done for Christmas? As for washing, I never do but red does worry me. Maybe do a colourfast test? And for sure throw in a colour catcher or two.

Wow! I am so impressed with your goals and follow-through. I am following you now so I can find inspiration when I flounder. Sorry about your eye problems. It seems several of us have had eye problems lately. Here’s for a better year in 2018.

Wow! Lots of goals, and I do think you’ve made lots of progress this year. I hope your eyes get better soon – my mom went through a lot of eye stuff over the past few years too, and she was frustrated with it.

Wow…you seem incredibly organised…and busy. If you only do half of that list, that would already be amazing! Re your question of pre-washing. Definitely! I always pre-wash all my fabric ever since I have had a colour run disaster…it’s just not worth it.

Welcome to Tu-Na’s journey. My name is Karen. I am glad you stopped by.

Tu-Na (Too-Nuh) noun, 1. Title bestowed upon me by grandson. 2. Combination of Tutu and Nana. 3. Not having to do with a fish or fishing (unless it's cooked or quilted). Origin: See full explanation in Profile or About Me.

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